Christie Administration Continues to Increase Options for Students with Nine New Charter Schools Opening in September

This is the largest number of charter school openings in the state since 1999

For Immediate Release

Contact: Justin Barra

Date: July 15, 2011

609-292-1126

Trenton, NJ – The Christie Administration announced today that nine new charter schools will open across the state in September 2011. The Department of Education also announced that 21 previously approved schools will be granted a planning year with the anticipation of opening in September 2012.

“Governor Christie and I strongly support the growth of high-quality charter schools to increase the number of options for New Jersey students, because our number one priority is to ensure that all students graduating high school are college and career ready,” said Acting Education Commissioner Christopher D. Cerf. “The Christie Administration’s commitment to approving quality charter schools demonstrates the high bar that we must have for any school that is serving New Jersey students.”

The expansion of high-quality charter schools has been a top priority of Governor Christie’s education reform agenda. The Department of Education has two rounds each year during which groups may apply to open a charter school. The Department of Education approved charters in September 2010 and January 2011. However, schools must pass an additional “preparedness review” in June in order to show that they have in place a high-quality academic program, and that they have met all regulatory requirements to open in September. This preparedness review is the final check that the school has the factors in place to offer an excellent education for its students. When the school takes a planning year, the leadership has additional time to continue to develop the academic and operational components of the school, which are crucial to ensuring that it will be successful when it opens the following year.

One school, Atlantic Prep Charter High School, serving Atlantic City, Egg Harbor, and Pleasantville, was not granted a planning year because it failed to demonstrate sufficient progress towards readiness.

“We think that all of the schools taking a planning year have the potential to offer a high-quality educational choice for students,” said Carly Bolger, Director of the Charter Schools Office. “However, we believe these schools need additional time to plan and develop, and we will not open a school that we do not believe will be among the best schools in the entire state.”